FAIRFAX, Virginia –
Amber Heard said she knew she had to leave Johnny Depp the first time he hit her, but she couldn’t bring herself to do so.
“I knew I couldn’t just forgive him, didn’t I, because that meant it would happen again. “I’ve seen videos of health classes,” Hurd told jurors in tears as he testified in Depp’s defamation lawsuit against her. “I was heartbroken.”
In the end, however, she could not be forced to separate. She left after being hit, but a few days later Depp returned with an apology, a few cans of her favorite wine and a promise never to do so again, Hurd testified.
“I wanted to believe him, so I chose,” she said.
Depp, 58, is suing Hurd for defamation in Fairfax County Court after she wrote a December 2018 article in The Washington Post describing herself as a “public figure representing domestic violence.” The article never mentions Depp by name, but Depp’s lawyers say he was slandered nonetheless because he clearly cites accusations she made in 2016 during their divorce proceedings.
Hurd spoke for the first time on Wednesday afternoon in the four-week trial. She told the jury how they met in the film and fell in love.
Despite their 22-year age difference, Hurd said she had an instant relationship when Depp met her as she was considering a role in his film The Diary of a Roma.
“I was an actor without a name. I was 22. He was twice my age. “He’s this world-famous actor, and here we talk about obscure books, old blues music,” said Hurd, now 36.
Although they had chemistry during the filming of the film, she said they did not start dating until they made a press tour for the film’s release in 2011. At first, they kept their relationship a secret.
“We did not do normal things in life. … We were in this bubble of secrecy and I felt like a warm glow, “she said.
She said the first act of physical violence came when she was looking at one of his tattoos and could not read it. She laughed when Depp told her it said “Wino,” a tattoo change he made when he dated actor Winona Ryder.
Hurd said she laughed after he hit her, thinking it must be a joke. He then hit her twice more, knocking her off balance a third time, Hurd said.
Depp, who has already stood up and testified for four days, told jurors a different version of the story.
“This did not happen,” he said of the alleged attack. “Why would I be so offended by someone who makes fun of a tattoo on my body? That statement never made any sense to me. “
Hurd’s testimony comes after a psychologist hired by her lawyers testified that Hurd suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder from a number of acts of violence, including sexual assault by Depp.
Depp testified that he never hit Hurd and that he was a victim of violence. He said he had been hit and hit by her many times and that she had thrown things at him. He described Hurd as “in need of conflict.”
Psychologist Dawn Hughes testified on Tuesday that Hurd sometimes used physical violence against Depp, but said it was pale compared to the violence she suffered, which made her fear and fear of its safety.
During Wednesday’s cross-examination, Hughes admitted that she had not made actual decisions that Depp had attacked Hurd in specific cases. But she testified that Hurd’s account of her experiences was consistent with those of those who had experienced domestic violence.
Hughes said sexual assault involved Hurd being forced by Depp to have oral sex. However, in a cross-examination, Depp’s lawyers noted that during a psychological test conducted as part of Hughes’ assessment, Hurd denied being forced to have oral sex.
Hughes said Hurd originally described the meetings as consensus, but “angry sex.”
“She didn’t see them as physical force,” Hughes said.
The process continues to attract public attention. More than 100 people lined up on Wednesday before 7am – three hours before the start of the courtroom – in front of the court building for the 100 seats provided in the courtroom. Most were Depp supporters and fans.
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